Just noticed in the current G&D that Hampton Coach has an ad on the last page. I would like to see their situation kept reported on as I will be needing a interior kit for my 50. I know a lot of Chevy owners that have used them over the years. Hope somebody will take over their business.
Since Hampton Coach is not longer in business, where can you get interior kits with the head liner and seats? I purchase a 32 confederate special 10 years ago and finally got it home from storage. I am also needing the inside door panels. I have looked all over the net and not finding anything.
I have looked all over the net and not finding anything.
As far as I know LeBaron-Bonney was the only place that had interior kits for the 1932 Chevrolets. You will probably need to get an upholstery shop to order the material in bulk and then have them do the complete interior upholstery for your car.
Your local auto upholstery shop may not want to do your job as the seats are more like furniture. I ran into that so I took them to a furniture upholstery shop. They took one look and ran like the fifty yard dash. Looked to much like auto to them and they did not want to spend the time to "hand stitch" the rear of the seats. Finally, I found an old upholster who had 40 years in the business. He took one look at the seats and said, "Huh, these guys must have had all the time in the world to put these together. Let's look in the upholstery book for a material that I can order. You can't get that old stuff anymore." We looked through several books and found material that looks very close to original. It took that old guy three weeks and when it came out it looked so very close to the original. I saved the old seat material for future reference. On the door panels there are cloth tabs that extend out from the covering material along the top into the window opening. These are for the tacks and it holds/pulls the material tight under the metal that goes around the window. Being retired he charged me less and enjoyed helping me get it correctly in the car. All he asked was for him and the wife to take a ride around the block with some photos. That was the car that they went on their honey moon in so very long ago.
Terrill, I take it that this guy is in Mississippi. I have the Hampton samples for my 38 Cabriolet. I was wondering if that guy could my interior. Or get the material for me.
Yes, the contacts for the material would be great. A good upholsterer can measure and cut and make a pattern. Getting the original material is the hard part.
Does anyone know what happened to the Hampton coach patterns? Were they sold at the auction? There's been a similar situation on the structural wood side and I wonder if there needs to be a non-profit created (with profits reinvested in the mission) to preserve these necessary products. This is going to be a big problem to restore cars into the future.
Does anyone know what happened to the Hampton coach patterns? Were they sold at the auction? There's been a similar situation on the structural wood side and I wonder if there needs to be a non-profit created (with profits reinvested in the mission) to preserve these necessary products. This is going to be a big problem to restore cars into the future.
It would take a concerted effort from a lot of people. Much investment is needed as well as people providing originals to patterns from. It would be a good cross club endeavor as many makes need a source of wood as well as interior work. I doubt this club leadership has any interest though as they might not see it as a road to increased membership. I am doing my own wood and interior. Not that hard just need the equipment and patterns. Presently I have been finding my self doing mostly non Chev projects aside from my own personal cars.
Yes - a challenging issue, but not without an example. The National Chevy Association (49-54) https://www.nationalchevyassoc.com (which I would argue have more availability of parts than prewar Chevy) has seemed to make this viable. I think this requires a club support and members to participate/invest in this endeavor. If we think this is a challenge - look at the Pontiac/Oldsmobile/Cadillac guys - all their stuff is often reproduced one off.
Any idea what happened to the Hampton Coach Patterns?
BTW - I follow you're work via Facebook and it is excellent.
If you are talking to me Thank you. I'm kind of retired and not really looking to start a company myself but if there was support I would be open to working with people to train them on how to do this for some form of recompense. I wouldn't be interested in owning the business though. Maybe a club funded venture could be possible with the right people involved. Other interests could be brought in as well as not only Chev wood could be provided but for other makes as well. Interiors are actually not that difficult and if you have the car then patterns could be made to suit. Anyway the logistics are for someone else to work out. I am happy enough to build the few cars that come my way whatever they may be.
I tried sending a letter to Jay Leno figuring he might know of a person or current upholstery company who might be interested in LBHC as a whole, continuing the work they did. Unfortunately I never heard back and assume it was intercepted by his staff who never passed along my idea. It was worth a shot at least. I was hoping to catch him at Hershey this year but didn’t see him.
This is what I posted in the General Discussion forum. I have contacted the bankruptcy attorney handling this case and my contact with the US Department of justice by email. I will let you know when I get an answer.
There has been very little action with the Lebaron Bonney bankruptcy case. The business park has requested, from the court, their money owed to them for the lease on the building where LeBaron Bonney had their business. There still hasn't been any of the items in their inventory for sale yet. In order for the appointed bankruptcy attorney to get any cash to pay them he has to sell something from the assets. I'm going to call the US DOJ to find out if they know anything more. The bankruptcy attorney will not answered my letters or my emails so that is all I have to report.
Thanks for the update. Sounds like the attorney is holding on to things for some reason? It seems like it would be difficult even if we had a serious interest and required capitol.
According to the latest 30 November post on the Antique Automobile Club of America (AACA) forum, SMS Auto Fabrics in Oregon has made an offer to by the LeBaron Bonney assets. As you may know Hampton Coach is the division of LBB for Chevrolets and Buicks.
Last I heard it was discussed at the AACA convention that SMS fabrics ended up wi5h the assets but I heard than after the discussion and that’s all the person remembered. I’ll see what I can find out.
Any update on this? Have a '30 trunk model I've been working on for a local resident I'll be assembling later this month. After the LB/HC bankruptcy, I don't know where to look for an interior kit. Can find installers no problem, but all want a kit. Thanks for any help.
